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Russian Proposed Wilderness Additions
Managing agency: Klamath National Forest.
Size: Approximately 19,360 acres.
Location: Between the Trinity Alps and Marble Mountain wilderness areas, west of the town of Etna in Siskiyou County.
Highlights:
- The region contains the greatest diversity of cone-bearing trees on the planet.
- The famous Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail bisects the area from north to south.
- Many wonderful lakes and meadows to explore.
Description: The proposed additions to the Russian Wilderness encompass beautiful ancient forests, glacier-carved lakes, verdant meadows, and crystal-clear streams. The famous Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail bisects the area from north to south and provides visitors access to some of the region's most outstanding viewpoints.
 The
proposed additions and the adjacent wilderness have the greatest diversity of
cone-bearing trees on the planet, including an amazing 17 species in one square-mile
(1 to 3 species is far more common). Unique trees include the Alaska yellow
cedar, noble fir, Engelmann spruce, Port Orford cedar, and the Brewers spruce,
also known as the "weeping spruce" because of its elegantly drooping branches.
This conifer diversity is matched by incredible diversity among their smaller kin: nearly 400 species of plants were identified in the Sugar Creek drainage alone. Watersheds of similar size elsewhere usually do not contain even half as many species. Other rare and unique species include subalpine fir, angelica, clustered lady's slipper, Howell's draba, timber blue grass, Engelmann's lomatium, peregrine falcon, coho and chinook salmon, wolverine, northern spotted owl, goshawk, bald eagle, Roosevelt elk, marten, and fisher.
For additional information, please contact:
California Wilderness Coalition
info@calwild.org
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Just three miles off of Interstate 80, 
